Operating mechanism for rail oilers



July 26, 1932. w g

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR RAIL omens Filed Jan. 20, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 26, 1932. H. G. WARR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR RAIL OILERS Filed Jan. 20. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aw m \N,

\m NW x Q Q; W Bx Patented July '26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD G. WAR-R, OF PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MAINTENANCE EQUIP- MENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS OPERATIN G MECHANISM FOR RAIL OILERS Application filed January 20, 1930. Serial No. 422,125.

- containing the oil supply, and means for forcing oil from this reservoir and distribute ing it along the rail head or projectlng it against the car wheel flange. The oil-lifting or pumping mechanism is usually operated by a treadle or plunger that is depressed by some portion of each car wheel as it passes along the rail. Such mechanisms are open to the objection that the contact with the wheel is too sudden and violent, and that there are many more impulses than are necessary due to the great number of supporting wheels for the cars or other vehicles.

According to this invention an entirely different principle is utilized for driving the oiling mechanism, the power for propelling the oil being derived from the wave motion in the rail itself as the load supported thereby passes along from one portion of the rail to another. It is well known, that despite the strength and rigidity of the steel rail, the rail weaves up and down to an appreciable extent as the great weight of the car is transferred from one portion of a rail to another. As is well known, each modern railway car is of considerable length, and its weight is sustained by the truck or group of wheels at each end thereof. A considerable length of rail between these trucks does not directly sustain this weight, and consequently the rail will be depressed under each truck and will rebound or how upwardly between these points when relieved of the weight of the car. Since the trucks or groups of wheels at the adjacent ends of two coupled cars are positioned quite close to one another compared with the distance between the trucks at either end of each car, the rail may be considered as having one depressed portion positioned under the trucks at the ends of two coupled cars and one upwardly bowed portion intermediate the ends of each car. In other Words, there, will be one complete wave in theitrack for each car that passes along the track. The lengths or magnitudes of these waves may Vary in accordance withthe length of car, or the weight thereof, but these variations are immaterial as far as the present invention is concerned; This depression of thetrackbetween the crest and the trough of the wave varies in accordance with the factors noted hereinabove and the character of the roadhed,

and will vary in magnitude from a small fraction of an inch to an inch or more.

According to the present invention, two operating members are anchored to the track at positions spaced apart longitudinally of the rail farenough to occupy materiallydifl'erent positions in the wave of the track, and the relative, vertical movements between these members is utilized to transmit power for operating the oiling mechanism, or other apparatush In the specific embodiment of the invention here disclosed, a rotary shaft car-o rying a ratchet wheel is j ournaled ina bracket secured to one portion of the rail. A rigid bar extending longitudinally of the railis anchored to the rail at points sufliciently remote from the bracket to be positioned in a diiferent portion of the rail-wave. The free end of the bar carries a pawl which yieldably engages the ratchet wheel so that as thebar -moves up and down due to the wavemotion of the rail, the ratchet wheel and theshaft on which it is positioned will be intermittently rotated in one direction.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a new and improved operating mechanism for rail oilers or other purposes, as"

briefly described hereinabove and disclosed inore in detail in the specifications which fol- Another object is to provide an improved track oiling assembly driven from the wave motion of the trackraill 7 Other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of certain approved forms of apparatus adapted for carrying out the principles of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a track oiler assembly embodying the improved operating mechanlsm.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section,

taken substantially on the line 2-2. of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 1, 5, 6 and "4" are diagrammatic views illustrating successive positions of the operating mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a partial plan view, partly in vertical section, showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a modilied means for anchoring the operating parts to the rail.

Fig. 10 is a partial perspective view showing an alternative method of adjusting the length of the operating bar.

The rail 1 is supported in the usual manner on the ties 2 imbedded in the roadbed 3. Track oiling mechanisms of many different forms may be used, the specific form here shown by way of example being more fully disclosed in the copending application of Bates and Overmier. Serial No. 397,413, filed October 4, 1929. A casing l imbedded in the roadbed 3 at the outside of the trackway houses reservoir for the oil supply and a rotary pumping mechanism for forcing oil from the reservoir through conduit 5 which extends under the track to a distributing bar 6 supported along the inner side of the rail and provided with a plurality of spaced outlets 7 through which the oil is ejected to be engaged by the passing car waeel flanges and spread along the rail side and the surfaces of the wheel flanges.

A bracket 8 is anchored in any suitable manner to the opposite or outer side of the rail. In the example here shown, bolts 9 pass through the web 10 of the rail and filler plates 11 to hold in place the bracket 8 and also the distributing mechanism 6. The bracket 8 is formed with a pair of coaxial bearings 12 and 13, the rotary shaft 14 being journaled at its inner end in the bearing 12, and a sleeve member 15 slidably keyed at- 16 to the shaft 14 being journaled in the bearing 13. A ratchet wheel 17 is rotatably mounted on shaft- 1 1 between the bearings, and a pair of similar friction discs 18 are interposed between the respective sides of the ratchet wheel and a thrust plate 19 keyed to shaft 14: an d a thrust plate 20 at the inner end of sleeve 15. A coiled spring 21 is compressed between the outer end of sleeve 15 and an adjusting nut 22 on shaft 1ft. The spring 21 serves to thrust the sleeve 15 inwardly so as to firmly clamp the ratchet wheel 17 between the friction discs 18 whereby it will normally rotate with the shaft 14:. This friction clutch arrangement is merely to permit the ratchet wheel to ro tate on the shaft in case parts of the mechanism becomes locked, rather than cause breakage of any of the parts. In normal operation the ratchet wheel 1? and shaft 1 1 rotate as a unit, and the other features of this invention would be entirely operative if wheel 1.7 were keyed directly to shaft 1d. Shaft 14 is connected through the universal joints 23 and the telescopic. shaft 2 1- with the rotary driving shaft 25 for the pumping mechanism within casing l. t will be apparent that this flexible shaft connection will permit relative movements or displacements of the rail and reservoir casing without affecting the operation of the assembly.

T he improvements which constitute the particular subject matter of this invention relate to a means for imparting rotative movement to the ratchet wheel 17 and driving shaft 14: automatically as a train passes along the tracks. A. rather long rigid bar 26 is anchored adjacent one of itsends and at a point intermediate its length to the side of web 10 of rail 1 at positions remote from the ratchet wheel 1'7. As indicated in Fig. 3, the bar 26 is anchored to a pair of brackets 27 by bolts 28, the brackets 27 being fitted between the head 29 and base flange 80 of the rail and held in place by passing the bolts 28 through the web 10 of the rail. As an alternative method of anchoring the bracket 2? to the rail, clamping devices 31 (see Fig. 9) in the nature of rail anchors could be used to clamp the lower portions of the bracket to the base flange 30. It will be apparent that this latter method of anchoring the bracket members to the rail could also be used to fasten in place the bracket 8., and the guide bracket 32 hereinafter referred to. The two anchora e points 28 for bar 26 may be closely adjacent one another and adjacent one end of the bar, as shown in Fig. 9, or one of the anchorage points may be adjacent the end of the bar and the other at a point substantially midway the length of the bar. as in Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive. If the two anchora e points are any material distance apart the bar will pivot about the bolts 28 as the rail flexes so that the bar 26 between the points 28 will form a chord of the arc of the rail between these points.

The bar 9.6 may be provided with a plurality of spaced holes 33 for receiving the bolts 28 whereby the effective length of bar 26 may be adjusted. .ln the modification shown in 10, the ba 26 composed of two sections 34 and connected by bolts 36 passin through selected openings 37 whereby the effective length of the bar may be adjusted.

A pawl device 38 provided with a plurality of teeth 89 adapted to engage the teeth teeth 39 to slide up over the ratchet teeth 40.

When the pawl device 38 is depressed, the pawl teeth 39 will engage certain of the teeth 40 and impart a partial rotation (in a counter clockwise direction, Fig. 3) to the ratchet wheel 17 and the shaft 14 on which it is mounted. If it were'desired to rotate the shaft 14 in the opposite, or clockwise direction, it is merely necessary to reverse the direction of the teeth 39 and 40, and this can easily be accomplished by simply reversing the positioning of the pawl device 38'and ratchet 17 in the bar 26 and on'the shaft 14 respectively. A locking pawl 46 pivoted at 47 to a portion 48 of the bracket 8 engages the teeth 40 of ratchet 17 and prevents retrograde rotation of the ratchet wheel during the idle stroke of the pawl device 38. A guide bracket 32 is anchored to the rail in any suitable manner as indicated at 49 and is provided with a vertical slot 50 through which bar 26 passes so that the bar is held against lateral movement with respectto the rail but is permitted free vertical movement with respect thereto. V

The operation of this portion of'the mechanism will be better understood by reference to the diagrammatic views shown Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive. In these views 51 indicates one of the car trucks, or a pair of adjacent car trucks, and in a similar manner 52 indicates the truck at the opposite end of a car. The trucks 51 and 52 are assumed to be traveling from left to right as seen in these fignres. Directly beneath the load-or truck 51 there will be a trough 53 of a wave in the track 1, and in front and in the rear of this trough will be two wavecrests 54. The same is true of the truck or load 52, and of all of the following trucks. these track waves is greatly exaggerated in these figures in order to facilitate the disclosure. In Fig. 4, the train has not yet reached that portion of rail 1 to which the bar 26 and ratchet 17 are anchored, and these members remain in normal alignment, similar to that indicated in Fig. 3. VVhentruck 51 reaches the position shown in Fig. 5, bar 26 and ratchet 17 will be located on one of the upwardly flexed portions of a wave. Since the rigid bar 26 is only anchored to the rail at one end and at an intermediate point, it is not compelled to join in the flexing movement The magnitude of of therail, but its free end will be tilted up wardly with respect to the railso as to elevate the pawl device 38 'withrespect to ratchet movement thefree end of bar 26 carrying the pawl 38 is swung downwardly, this being the operative stroke which imparts a partial rotationto the ratchet wheel17 As truck 51 advances to the position shown in Fig. 7, the pawl will again be swung upwardly, this being the idle stroke of thepawl device. As the following truck 52 advances along'the rail this cycle of movements will be repeated. It will now be apparent that there will be I one complete track wave for eachcar in the train. and that the; pawl device 38 will be given one operative stroke for each wave. 1

It will be noted that even though the train is proceeding along the trackway at high speed, there will be no sudden movements or violent impacts imparted to any portion of It is only necessary and desirable that the oil be very slowly forced through the distributing openings 7 in the distributing bar 6, so that it in effect slowly oozes out of these openings into position to be wiped away by the; passing car wheel flanges. The sudden ejection of oil through these outlet openings is to be avoided if possible, since this is'wasteful and furnishes an excessive amount of oil. This present improved operating mechanism produces the-desired slow' movement of the pumping mechanism. 1 r In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the oil pumping and distributing device- 55 is of a type located adjacent the side of the'rail' 1,

with the operating driving shaft extending parallel with the rail. The driving shaft 56 is journaled in the bracket 57 (secured to the side of the rail in place of the bracket 8 heretofore described) and the ratchet wheel 58 p is mounted on shaft 56. It may be frictionally secured to this shaft in the same manner as previously described. The pawl device 59, which may be essentially of the same construction as the pawl 38 previously described, is mounted in the side of the end portion of operating bar 26 instead of in the end thereof. The general operationof this mechanism differs in no essential respect fromthe first described form of the invention. Y

While this improved operating-mechanism is designed especially to operate a track oiler of the types hereinabove described and forms a new and eflicient combination therewith, it will be apparent that this operating mecha nism might be utilized to drive other forms of apparatus associated with a trackway, and it Is contemplated that such uses should fall within the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. Mechanism for utilizing power derived from the wave motion of a railway rail caused by the passage of a load along the rail, comprising cooperating members supported by the rail and movable relative to one another as the rail flexes.

2'. Mechanism for utilizing power derived from the wave motion of a railway rail caused by the passage of a load along the rail, comprising a pair of members anchored to the rail at positions spaced longitudinally of the rail said members projecting into proximity to one another, and engaging means carried by the two members and actuated by the relative movement of the members.

Mechanism for utilizing power derived from the wave motion of a railway rail. caused by the passage of a load along the rail, comprising a pair of members anchored to the rail at positions spaced longitudinally of the rail said members projecting into proximity to one another, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism carried by the two members whereby the ratchet will be rotated as the members move relative to one another.

4:. nlechanism for utilizing power derived from the wave motion of a railway rail caused by the passage of a load along the rail comprising a substantially rigid bar extending longitudinally of the rail and havin one end portion anchored to the rail, the other end portion being free to move vertically with respect to the adjacent portion of the rail, and a movable member supported on the rail adjacent the free end of the bar and adapted to be actuated thereby.

5. Mechanism for utilizing power derived from the wave motion of a railway rail caused by the passage of a load along the rail, (3011b prising a substantially rigid bar extending longitudinally of the rail and having one end portion anchored to the rail. the other end portion being free to move vertically with respect to the adjacent portion of the rail. and a rotary member supported on the rail adjacent the free end of the bar and adapted to be actuated thereby.

6. Mechanism for utilizing power derived from the wave motion of a railway rail caused by the passage of a load along the rail, comprising a substantially rigid bar extending longitudinally of the rail and having one end portion anchored to the rail, the other end portion being free to move ver tically with respect to the adjacent portion of'the rail, a rotary shaft supportedon the rail adjacent the free end of the bar, and intercngaging means on the shaft and bar adapted to rotate, the shaft as the bar moves vertically.

7. Mechanism for utilizing power derived from the wave motion of a railway rail caused by the passage of a load along the rail, comprising a substantially rigid bar extending longitudinally of the rail and having one end portion anchored to the rail, the other end portion being free to move verti' cally with respect to the a'dacent portion of the rail, a rotary shaft supported on the rail adjacent the free end of the bar, a ratchet wheel secured on said shaft, a pawl movably supported at the end of the bar, and a for yieldingly urging the pawl into engagement with the ratchet.

8. Mechanism for u't'lizing. power derived from the wave motion of a railway rail caused by the passage of a load along the rail compriing a bracket anchored to the rail, a rotary shaft ournaled in the bracket, a ratchet wheel on the sh aft, a substantially rid bar extending longitudinally of the rail and having one end portion securedto the rail spaced positions remote from the bracket, and a pawl carried by the free end of the bar and enga ging the ratchet wheel.

9. ldechanism for utilizing power derived from the wave motion of a railway railcaused by the passage of a load along the rail, comprisinga bracket anchored to the rail, a rotary shaft journaled in the bracket, a ratchet wheel on the shaft. a substantially rigid bar extending longitudinally of the rail and having one end portion secured. to the rail at spaced positions remote from the bracket, a pawl mechanism slidably mounted in the free end portion of the bar. and means for yieldingly urging the pawl mechanism into engagement with the ratchet wheel.

10. The combination with apparatus for oiling a railway rail comprising a reservoir, and means for forcing oil from the reservoir and for distributing this oil at the side of the rail head, of mechanism for drivii q the oiling apparatus comprising coop-e iug devices anchored to the rail at positions spaced longitudinally thereof and actuated by the wave motion of the rail as a load passes therealong.

11. The combination with apparatus for oiling a railway rail comprising a reservoir, and means for forcing oil from the reservoir and for distributing thisoil at the side of the rail head of mechanism supported by the rail for giving one impulse to the oiling apparatus for each car of a train that passes along the track;

12. The combination with apparatus for oiling a railway rail comprising a reservoir, and means for forcing oil from the reservoir and fordistibuting this oil at the side of the 'ailhead, of mechanism for driving the oiling ion apparatus comprising cooperating devices and means for forcing oil from the reservoir 7 and for distributing thisoil at the'side o-fthe rail head, of mechanism for driving the oiling apparatus comprising a bracket fixed to the rail, a rotary shaft journaled in the bracket, and mechanism comprising a bar extending parallel to the rail and anchoredv to the rail at points remote from the bracket for imparting rotary movements to the shaft as the rail flexes from its normal parallelism with the bar.

1d. The combination with apparatus for oiling a railway rail comprising a reservoir, and means for forcing oil from the reservoir and for distributing this oil at the side of the rail head, of mechanism for driving the oiling apparatus comprising a bracket fixed t0 the rail, a rotary shaft journaled in the bracket, a ratchet wheel on the shaft, a bar extending parallel to the rail and anchored to the rail, at positions remote from the bracket, and a pawl device carried by the bar and engaging the ratchet wheel.

15. The combination with apparatus for oiling a railway rail comprising a reservoir, and means for forcing oil from the reservoir and for distributing this oil at the side of the rail head, of mechanism for driving the oiling apparatus comprising a bracket fixed to the rail, a rotary shaft ournaled in the bracket, a ratchet wheel on the shaft, a bar extending parallel to the rail and secured to the rail at positions remote from the bracket, and a pawl device slidably mounted in the free end of the bar, and means for yieldingly urg ing the pawl device into engagement with the ratchet wheel.

16. The combination with apparatus for oiling a railway rail comprising a reservoir and means for forcing oil from the reservoir and for distributing this oil at the side of the rail head, of mechanism for driving the oiling apparatus comprising a bracket fixed to the rail, a rotary shaft journaled in the bracket, a ratchet wheel on the shaft, a bar extending parallel to the rail and pivotally secured to the rail at an intermediate point and adj acent the end remote from the ratchet wheel, and a pawl carried by the free end of the bar and engaging the ratchet wheel.

17 The combination with apparatus for oiling a railway rail comprising a reservoir and means for forcing oil from the reservoir and for distributing this oil at the side of the rail head, of mechanism for driving the oiling apparatus comprising a bracket fixed to the rail, a rotary shaft j ournaled in the bracket, a ratchet wheel on the'shaft, a bar extending parallel to the rail and pivotally secured to the rail at an intermediate point and adjacent the end remote from the ratchet wheel, and a pawl device slidably carried by the free end of the bar and means for yieldingly urging the pawl device into engagement with the ratchet wheel.

18. Mechanism for utilizing power derived "from the wave motion of a railway rail caused by the passage of a load along the rail, comprising a substantially rigid bar extending longitudinally of the rail and pivotally sei curedto the rail at an intermediate point and adjacent one end of the bar, the other end portion being free to move vertically with respect to the adjacent portion ofthe rail, and

a means supported on the rail adjacent the free end of the bar and adapted to be actuated by the vertical movement thereof.

19. Mechanism for utilizing power derived from the wave motion of a railway rail caused by the passage of a load along the rail, comprising a substantially rigid bar extending longitudinally of the rail and pivotally secured to the rail at an intermediate point and adjacent one end of the bar,'the other end portion being free vto'move vertically with respect to the adjacent. portion of the rail, a

rotary shaft supported by the rail adjacent thefree end of the bar, andinterengaging means on the shaft and bar adapted to ro tate the shaft as the bar moves vertically.

20. Mechanism for utilizing power derived from the wave motion of a railway rail caused by the passage of a load along the rail, com

prising a substantially rigid bar extending 1- longitudinally of the rail and pivotally secured to the rail at an intermediate point and adjacent one end of the bar, the other end portion being free to move vertically with respect to the adjacent portion of the rail, a rotary shaft supported by the rail adjacent the free end of the bar, a ratchet wheel secured on the shaft, a pawl movably supported at the free end of the bar, and a spring for yieldingly urging the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel.

HAROLD G. WARE. 

